Weaning cap for nursing bottles



- Sept. 25, 1951 H. ABELSON 2,569,139

WEANING CAP FOR NURSING BQTTLES Filed .July '7, 1948 flma/m' Smaeutot (Ittomegs Patented Sept. 25, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF ICE 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to a weaning capl for nursing bottles. More particularly the present invention relates to a novel cap nipple which may be easily assembled with a conventional type; of nursing bottle and will facilitate the transition of the infant from a nursing stage in its develop ment to a stage wherein it will be able to drink from a conventional glass or cup or the like.

As is Well known the average infant is only with difiiculty trained to drink from a conventional cup. During the transitional period it is diflicult to train an infant to properly imbibe liquids and drink the same rather than suck said liquids from a nipple.

It is one of the objects of the present invention therefore to provide a novel weaning cap or the like which may be easily assembled with a conventional bottle and which will aid in weaning an infant.

A second general object of the present invention is to provide a novel cap having a plurality of drinking openings therein, one of said openings more closely resembling a nipple than the other of said openings so as to promote a gradual transition or Weaning of an infant.

A third general object of the present invention is to provide a novel weaning cap which may be easily assembled with a conventional nursing bottle in place of the usual cap.

Other objects and the nature and advantages of the instant invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of the weaning cap of the present invention assembled with a conventional baby bottle.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the weaning cap and bottle of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section taken generally along the line 33 of Figure 2.

Referring to the figures of the drawing and particularly to Figure 1 thereof, a baby bottle which may be formed of glass or other suitable material, is indicated at I0. Suitably attached to the bottle I is the weaning cap of the present invention which is indicated generally at I I. The weaning cap is provided with an annular skirt I2 having threads I3 on its interior which are adapted to cooperate with the threads I4 of the baby bottle In. The skirt I2 depends from a suitable cover member I5 and the entire weaning cap II, i. e. the skirt and cover portions, is suitably molded as from a plastic material such as hard rubber, Bakelite, etc.

Extending from the cover portion I5 of the cap I I is a primary weaning spout or drinking device I6 of a generally oval shape and provided with a bulbous oval lip I! as best shown in Figure 2. The lip and spout are preferably so shaped that they fit comfortably into an infant's mouth and to some extent resemble a conventional nipple except that a rather large opening I8 is provided and a rather large flow of liquid may be delivered through the opening I8 in the absence of any sucking action on the part of the infant. The spout I6 is preferably integral with the body of the cap I I and with the cover I5 thereof and may be similarly molded together with the cap in a single operation. The cap is also provided with a secondary drinking opening I9 which is formed in the cover I5 in diametrically opposed relation to the drinking device I6. The secondary drinking opening I9 is also elongated so as to permit drinking by thev infant with a minimum of liquid being spilled. The opening I9 is intended to be used after the infant has achieved some measure of success in drinking from the bottle through the opening I8. The two openings I8 and I9, however, cooperate in that they each permit the entry of air into the bottle when the other respective opening is being used for drinking purposes.

The present device may be advantageously used to promote the weaning of an infant, the first stage of use involving the spout I6 and opening I8 and when the infant has successfully learned to drink, the opening I9 may be utilized. When either opening is being used it will be noted that the top of the bottle is largely covered and a minimum waste of liquid results.

It will be obviously to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore the invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In a weaning cap for nursing bottles or the like, a cover member, an annular skirt depending from said cover member, means on said skirt to removably retain said cover member on said bottle, and a pair of drinking members forming a part of said cover member, the first of said members having a portion shaped to extend into the mouth of an infant and being provided with an oval outlet portion terminating in a relatively bulbous lip portion with an elongated opening of oval shape therethrough, the second of said members being diametrically opposed to the first of said members and consisting of an elongated opening in the plane of said cover adjacent to and extending in generally parallel disposition to the periphery of said cover.

HERMAN ABELSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 705,916 Gauss July 29, 1902 1,166,406 Baker Dec. 28, 1915 2,372,281 Jordan Mar. 27, 1945 2,550,568 Kersh Apr. 24, 1951 

